Loose Leaf Tea Guide: How to Make, Drink & Understand It
Switching from teabags to loose leaf can feel like a leap, but it doesn’t need to be complicated. At its heart, learning how to make loose leaf tea is a simple ritual that rewards you with better flavour and a moment of calm.
In this guide from Tea Ducks, we break down the essentials: what loose leaf tea actually is, how to brew loose leaf tea at home without any fancy gear, and what to know about caffeine and health along the way. Whether you’re looking for a new daily ritual or just starting to explore types of loose leaf tea, this is a calm place to begin.
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What Is Loose Leaf Tea (and How Is It Different From Tea Bags)?
Loose leaf tea is simply tea made from whole, mostly unbroken leaves – a world away from the dust and fannings packed into many standard tea bags. If you’ve ever wondered how to use loose leaf tea, it’s exactly this: letting full leaves infuse directly in water so they have space to unfurl in your infuser or teapot, releasing more aroma and deeper, layered flavour.
Because the leaves are brewed loose rather than trapped in a bag, you also avoid many of the glues and plastic-based materials used in some tea bags, keeping the experience as natural as possible. Once you know what loose leaf tea is, questions like how much loose leaf tea per cup to use just become part of a calm little ritual (see the brewing guide below).
How to Make Loose Leaf Tea (Step by Step)
Learning how to make loose leaf tea is simple. In fact, the basic method for how to make a cup of tea is the same whether you use a traditional teapot or are just making tea in a mug with an infuser.
The steps below work for most types – from fresh green tea and black tea to gentle herbal infusions like ginger tea. It isn’t about complexity; just small adjustments to water temperature and time will help you brew loose leaf tea without bitterness.
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Warm your mug or teapot with a little hot water and discard.
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Measure around 5 g of loose leaf tea (1–2 teaspoons, depending on the leaf).
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Add the leaves to your infuser, teapot or mug.
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Pour on hot water at the right temperature for your tea type (see table below).
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Steep for the suggested time, then strain.
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Taste, then adjust time or leaf amount next time to suit your palate.
Tea Type | Tea amount (per 300 ml water) | Water Temperature | Steep time | ReInfuse times |
|---|---|---|---|---|
White tea | 5 g | 85–90 °C | 2–2.5 minutes | 3–4 times |
Green tea | 5 g | 75–80 °C | 2–2.5 minutes | 2–3 times |
Oolong tea | 5 g | 90–95 °C | 2–2.5 minutes | 4–5 times |
Black tea | 5 g | 85–90 °C | 2–2.5 minutes | 3–4 times |
Ripe Pu-erh tea | 5 g | 95–100 °C | 2.5–3 minutes | 4–5 times |
Herbal / ginger tea | 5 g | 95–100 °C | 5–6 minutes | 2–3 times |
How to Use a Tea Infuser (or Tea Strainer)
If you’re new to loose leaf, the easiest tool to start with is a simple tea infuser. A stainless steel tea infuser or tea strainer sits neatly in your mug, holding the leaves while still giving them space to move. To use a tea infuser for loose tea, add 1–2 teaspoons of leaves, pour on hot water, steep, then lift the infuser out and set it on a small dish. You don’t need a teapot with strainer built in – a loose leaf tea infuser in your favourite mug is enough for everyday brewing.
For everyday use, we like a wide, stainless steel basket that gives the leaves room to unfurl. Our stainless steel tea infuser comes packed in a reusable cotton bag, so it’s easy to store between uses or give as a small, thoughtful gift.
Caffeine in Tea: How Much Is in Your Cup?
The answer to how much caffeine is in tea isn't just one number. In a typical 250–300 ml cup, how much caffeine in a cup of tea usually falls between 15 mg and 70 mg, depending on the leaf and how you brew it.
Comparing caffeine in tea vs coffee? Tea almost always contains less. A standard mug of coffee often sits around 95–140 mg, giving a fast jolt, while tea offers a steadier lift. But does green tea have caffeine? Yes—usually about 20–45 mg, though powdered matcha green tea is higher because you consume the whole leaf.
You might also wonder: does decaf tea have caffeine and is decaf tea good for you in the evening? Decaffeinated tea still contains a trace amount—often just a few milligrams—but far less than regular tea. If you want to avoid it altogether, choose naturally caffeine-free herbal infusions.
Drink (250ml) | Approximate caffeine | Typical feel |
|---|---|---|
Brewed coffee (Reference) | 95–140 mg | Sharp Jolt |
Matcha Green Tea | 60–120 mg | Strong Lift |
Black Tea | 40–60 mg | Steady Alertness |
Ripe Pu-erh Tea | 30–60 mg | Grounding Warmth |
Oolong Tea | 30–50 mg | Balanced Lift |
Yellow Tea | 30–45 mg | Mellow & Smooth |
Green Tea | 20–45 mg | Gentle Refresh |
White Tea | 15–30 mg | Soft & Delicate |
Is Tea Good for You? (Health, Calories & Weight)
One of the most common questions we hear is: is tea good for you? Beyond being a quiet daily habit, drinking loose leaf tea can gently support your sense of wellbeing. Compared with sugary drinks or the sharp spike from coffee, a cup of tea offers calm focus, steady hydration, and a moment to slow down. For many people, when they ask ‘is drinking tea good for you?’, what they really mean is whether it fits into a modern, healthy routine—and for most adults, the answer is usually yes.
How Many Calories in a Cup of Tea?
If you are watching your intake, the good news is simple. How many calories in a cup of tea? For plain loose leaf tea (green, black, white or oolong), the answer is practically zero—usually under 2–3 calories per cup. It only becomes high in calories when sugar, syrups or milk are added. That makes a well-brewed cup of tea an easy, guilt-free swap for sweetened coffees, fizzy drinks or bottled iced teas.
Does Tea Dehydrate You?
Because tea contains caffeine, many people worry: does tea dehydrate you? For moderate tea drinkers (around 3–5 cups a day), tea still counts towards your daily water intake. While caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, the amount of water in each cup more than balances this out for most healthy adults. If you are sensitive to caffeine, naturally caffeine-free herbal infusions (such as peppermint or chamomile) are gentle options for evening hydration.
Green Tea & Weight Loss
Another popular question is: does green tea help with weight loss? No tea is a magic solution, but it can support better habits. High-quality green tea is often studied for its potential effects on metabolism and focus, but the biggest everyday benefit is simple: replacing sugary drinks with a flavourful, almost zero-calorie alternative. Over time, that small switch can make it easier to maintain a more balanced lifestyle. If you have specific health conditions or are pregnant, it’s always best to speak to a healthcare professional before making big changes to your caffeine routine.
Types of Tea: Green, Black, Oolong, White & Beyond
There is a world of flavour beyond the standard tea bag. While all true tea comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, the way the leaves are processed—how much they are oxidised, heated, rolled, and aged—creates very different loose leaf tea types. Many people first meet these categories in a simple "types of tea chart": green, black, oolong, white, pu-erh, and yellow, each with its own character and typical caffeine level.
Green Tea: Fresh, Bright & Uplifting
What is green tea? Green tea is tea where oxidation is stopped early by steaming or pan-firing the leaves. This keeps a vibrant green colour and a lighter, vegetal taste—think fresh grass or toasted rice. Most green tea is naturally caffeinated, so if you’ve wondered is green tea caffeinated, the answer is yes, but it usually gives a gentle, steady lift rather than a harsh jolt.
a meal.
Black Tea: Rich, Familiar & Comforting
Black tea is fully oxidised, which is why the dry leaves look dark and the liquor brews deep amber. It’s the flavour most people know from English Breakfast, but loose leaf offers smoother notes of malt, cocoa, or spice without the bitterness of dust. Black tea is naturally higher on the tea and caffeine levels scale, making it a focused choice for mornings.
White Tea: Delicate & Minimal Processing
White tea is the least processed of all. Young buds are simply withered and dried, creating a pale cup with soft notes of honey and blossom. Despite the myth, white tea caffeine is still present—sometimes similar to light green tea—but because it is brewed gently, it feels softer on the system. It’s a good choice when you want something quiet and subtle.
Oolong Tea: The Middle Ground with Layers
Oolong sits between green and black tea. It is partially oxidised, which is why oolong tea caffeine and flavour can range widely. Greener oolongs taste floral and creamy; darker ones feel toasty or nutty. Many oolongs are designed to be re-infused several times, with each steep revealing a different layer.
Ripe Pu-erh: Fermented, Earthy & Grounding
Ripe Pu-erh is a type of fermented dark tea. After the leaves are processed, they undergo an ageing step that produces a deep, smooth liquor with notes of clean earth or wood. The caffeine in Pu-erh usually sits around a medium level, but many people notice a warm, grounding energy rather than a sharp spike—especially when enjoyed after a meal.
Yellow Tea: Rare, Mellow & Creamy
Yellow tea is one of the rarest categories. After heating, the leaves are gently "smothered," which softens the grassy edge found in some green teas. In the cup, this creates a mellow, almost creamy texture with subtle sweetness. It is perfect if you find green tea too sharp but white tea too light.
Herbal Infusions: Naturally Caffeine Free
Herbal "teas" (peppermint, chamomile, rooibos) are not technically tea at all—they don’t contain Camellia sinensis—which is why they are naturally caffeine-free. If you are exploring evening options, these offer warmth without stimulation. Jasmine tea is usually a jasmine-scented green or white tea, so is jasmine tea caffeinated? Yes, unless it is clearly labelled as decaf.
Modern Tea: Iced Tea & Bubble Tea Basics
While loose leaf tea is steeped in tradition, modern styles like iced tea and bubble tea have become hugely popular ways to enjoy the leaf. One is a simple, refreshing way to drink pure tea cold; the other is closer to a dessert.
How to Make Iced Tea (Cold Brew Method)
If you’re wondering how to make iced tea at home, the easiest way is the “cold brew” method. Instead of boiling water, add loose leaf tea to a jug of cold, filtered water (around 5 g per 300 ml, or 1–2 teaspoons per cup), then leave it in the fridge for 6–12 hours.
This slow, gentle extraction brings out clean flavour with far less bitterness than hot-brewed tea poured over ice. It works beautifully with green tea, black tea, oolong, or fruity herbal infusions, and you can serve it straight, over ice, or with a slice of citrus—no syrups or fuss required.
What Is Bubble Tea (Bubble Milk Tea)?
What is bubble tea? Often called “boba” or bubble milk tea, it’s a sweet Taiwanese drink made by shaking a strong black or green tea base with milk (or creamer), sugar, and chewy tapioca pearls.
At its core, bubble milk tea is a treat: a mix of tea, sweetener, flavourings, and the signature “bubbles” made from tapioca starch. It is fun and playful, but very different from the calm, sugar-free ritual of drinking pure loose leaf tea. If you enjoy bubble tea as an occasional dessert, starting with a quality loose leaf base makes it more aromatic—but for everyday balance, we focus on simply brewed loose leaf tea, hot or iced.
Loose Leaf Tea FAQ
Does Tea Dehydrate You? (Is Tea a Diuretic?)
This is a common worry. While caffeine is technically a mild diuretic, the water in your cup far outweighs this effect. For moderate tea drinkers (around 3–5 cups a day), tea does not dehydrate you; it still counts towards your daily water intake. If you’re concerned about caffeine, choosing lower-caffeine teas or herbal infusions is a gentle way to stay hydrated.
Is Peppermint Tea Good for You? (And Chamomile?)
Is peppermint tea good for you? In most cases, yes. Herbal infusions like peppermint tea and chamomile are naturally caffeine-free, so they’re excellent options for evening or for anyone avoiding caffeine. Peppermint is traditionally enjoyed after meals to support digestion, while chamomile is often used as a soothing bedtime drink. They’re not a medical treatment, but they fit comfortably into a calm, modern wellbeing routine.
How Much Caffeine Is in Yorkshire Tea vs Loose Leaf?
If you’ve ever searched how much caffeine in Yorkshire Tea, the answer is usually around 40–50 mg of caffeine per standard bag, depending on how long you brew it. Our loose leaf tea sits in a similar range (roughly 40–60 mg per cup), but because we use whole leaves rather than crushed dust, the flavour is smoother and less harsh. The result is the same morning lift, with a more considered drinking experience.
How Long Does Loose Leaf Tea Last?
Tea rarely "goes off" in a way that makes it unsafe, but it does slowly lose aroma and flavour. When stored well—away from light, heat, moisture, and strong smells—most loose leaf teas taste their best within 18–24 months. Some tightly packed teas, like high-quality pu-erh, can be aged for longer, but for everyday drinking we recommend enjoying them within a year or so. For more detail, see our guide on buying & storing tea.
Does Ginger Tea Contain Caffeine?
No—pure ginger tea does not contain caffeine. It’s a herbal infusion made from ginger root, which is naturally caffeine-free. That makes ginger tea a warming choice for cooler days or for those times when you want something comforting without affecting your sleep. Just check the ingredients: if ginger is blended with black or green tea, that blend will contain some caffeine.
Your Journey into Loose Leaf Tea
Tea can be wonderfully simple. If you’d like to take the next step, start with one good tea, one reliable method, and a few clear guides you can return to.
Helpful Next Steps :
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Understand the lift: Tea Caffeine Levels Guide
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Perfect your brew: Stainless Steel Tea Infuser
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Discover the classification of teas: Tea Types & Varieties (white, green, yellow, oolong & more)
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Still unsure what to choose? Contact the Tea Ducks team for a personal recommendation.